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Home to a bustling contemporary art scene, East London—particularly the East End—houses a number of museums. However, the art galleries are the true finds.
Geffrye Museum. This tribute to English interior decorating through the ages will thrill your inner Martha Stewart. The setting—an elaborately restored terrace of a 17th-century almshouse—showcases a set of connecting rooms, each painstakingly recreating a specific period in interior design. Move through Elizabethan parlors, Victorian studies, and stark post-WWI sitting rooms. The obsessive attention to detail can be amusing: the radio in the “1990-2000” loft plays 1990s pop, and the table is strewn with glossy women’s magazines. The downstairs space houses temporary exhibits and a design center for local artists’ displays. The manicured backyard garden is lovely and can be admired from the popular glassed-in lunch cafe At Home. (Kingsland Rd. Old St., then Bus #243 or 10min. walk along Old St. and left on Kingsland Rd. or Liverpool St. and Bus #149 or 242. ☎7739 9893; www.geffrye-museum.org.uk. Open Tu-Sa 10am-5pm; M, Su, bank holidays noon-5pm. Free. Cafe open 10am-4:45pm. Food £3-6. )
Museum Of Childhood. The place to be for under-fives or those wishing to reclaim their youth, this museum manages to please all ages. Colorful displays—housed in the original Victoria and Albert building—hold puzzles, toys, dolls, and furniture from hundreds of years ago. History of beloved toys such as Barbie® dolls and model cars accompany exhibits. Glass cases are interspersed with play areas where children can try out rocking horses, dress up in fabulous costumes, put on puppet shows, play games, and generally exhaust their parents. Organized story hours, dance and movement classes, and arts and crafts sessions are also part of the fun. (Cambridge Heath Rd. Bethnal Green. ☎8983 5200; www.museumofchildhood.org.uk. Open M-Th and Sa-Su 10am-5:45pm. Free.)
Whitechapel Art Gallery. Long the sole artistic beacon in a culturally and materially impoverished area, Whitechapel is now at the forefront of the buzzing art scene, displaying art from 19th-century Impressionist masterpieces to modern works. Founded in 1901, Whitechapel was one of the first publicly funded galleries in London. Since then, it has showcased art from Africa, India, and Latin America, and in the 1950s and 60s it was at the heart of the Pop Art movement. Its main drive is to exhibit artists who live and work in the East End, though as emerging artists move to other areas of the city, such exhibitions are becoming less relevant. Currently undergoing a large scale refurbishment, most of the gallery space is closed off to the public until early 2009, but small exhibits are still in rotation. Check website for details. (Whitechapel High St. Aldgate East. ☎7522 7888; www.whitechapel.org. Open Tu-W and F-Su 11am-6pm, Th 11am-9pm. Wheelchair-accessible. Call for opening details. Free.)
White Cube. One of the gems of Hoxton Sq., this stark white building has showcased some of the biggest names in international contemporary art. Housed in a former industrial building and opened in 2000, White Cube has an impressive list of alums, including Chuck Close and Damien Hirst. Although the Cube is small, many consider it to be the top modern art gallery in London and possibly Europe. They’ve shown almost every major British artist from the last few years and pride themselves on showing important up-and-coming talent. (48 Hoxton Sq. Old St. ☎7930 5373; www.whitecube.com. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm. Sometimes closes for exhibit installation; call in advance. Wheelchair-accessible. Free.)
Victoria Miro. While the ex-warehouse feel is a bit intimidating, the excellent exhibits here are cleanly displayed. Buildings are connected by a small patio out back overlooking a tranquil lily pad pond. The gallery features works from young artists that often make the most of the sprawling warehouse area. Exhibits are less crowded than other museums on the area. (16 Wharf Rd. Old St. or Angel. From Old St., take Exit 8 and walk north up City Rd. toward Angel, pass the 230 address block, then turn right after the Texaco Station; ring bell to enter. ☎7336 8109; www.victoria-miro.com. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm. Free.)
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